GREATER BOSTON'S FIRSTCLASSIC ARCADE ◂ BAR ◂ RESTAURANT

Your new heaven is located in a former Salem jail: Arcade games with a particular focus on the 1980s and 1990s. Elk burgers served on black garlic-glazed doughnut/croissant hybrids. Cocktails named after arcade game characters. There’s also a pleasant 60-seat patio if you need a sun-drenched break from Pac-Man.

There are conversation pieces and natural shared experiences, and you find yourself breaking into conversation with people about all sorts of things, the games being a catalyst for that. The beer doesn’t hurt that, either.